Colchester United head coach John McGreal has been told there was "no need" for referee Michael Salisbury to dismiss Tom Lapslie at Coventry City, last weekend.

Having been booked for a foul in the second half of the 0-0 draw, midfielder Lapslie was given his marching orders by Mr Salisbury barely a minute later at the Ricoh Arena, after being adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball near the corner flag following a Sky Blues attack.

Lapslie will now miss Colchester's home clash with Crewe Alexandra this weekend and McGreal felt the second caution was harsh - a feeling seemingly confirmed by the match assessor he spoke to after the game.

McGreal said: “I think Tom was probably naïve with his first booking but really unfortunate with the second booking.

“I went to try and see the referee at the end but the match assessor pulled me to the side and said there was no need for me to go and see him (the referee).

"He said he'd been given a little bit of a dressing down on why he’s drawn the second yellow card and there was no need.

“It looks as though the foul was on our player but also the position of where the two boys were in the far corner of the pitch meant that Tom wasn’t stopping a goalscoring opportunity, if he did fall on the ball.

“He told me there was no need for it and it was extremely harsh.

“It’s great to hear but it’s no good for us because we can’t go back and appeal one yellow card and Tom gets his one-game ban."